Chongqing- Midwest USA Chinese Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit business association founded in Cincinnati in 2005 to encourage cooperation between American and Chinese organizations in the Midwest to benefit regional businesses. The Chamber participates in the Smart China Expo this year through a virtual booth. The company has sent delegations to previous editions, which have developed strong relationships with vendors and customers.
A friendship city MOU was signed during a visit to Chongqing in 2018 between the two city mayors, and a return delegation was received the following year in Cincinnati. The Chinese Chamber played a significant role in fostering this sister city relationship and represented Cincinnati in the Chongqing International Sister City Roundtable held in 2019.
Executive Director of the Midwest USA Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Lee Wong, commented on this achievement in a group interview with iChongqing during the Smart China Expo. "The Chinese Chamber can help maintain the relationship by promoting trade and investments between the two cities. It will also ensure that businesses and citizens from both sides can benefit from this sister city relationship."
Historically, Cincinnati has been a manufacturing hub in the USA, and many companies want to offer quality products and services to their Chinese counterparts. According to Leo Chan, Executive Chairman of the Midwest USA Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Cincinnati enjoys a variety of industrial advantages. "For example, GE Additives is a leading company specializing in industrial 3D printing and has supplied parts to NASA and Space X. There are also many great universities in the region, and our city is also pioneering in renewable energy for smart cities and grid applications."
Since the organization strongly advocates personal interaction in business, they have set up a virtual booth for SCE 2022 and sent delegations in the past. Michael Tendall, founder and CEO of Opus Global Services and board member of the Midwest USA Chinese Chamber of Commerce, commented on the advantages of the event over the past editions. "The SCE allows you to build a relationship with vendors and customers. The opportunity for interaction through virtual displays and physical booths has helped us maintain that relationship between the midwest USA, Greater China, and Chongqing specifically."